American Live Stock. 
459 
lar, and not capable of making much flesh in the choicest parts of 
the carcass. Within the last thirty years they have been numer¬ 
ously imported into our states, and are much sought in the vicinities 
of our large cities, towns and villages, as family cows. They are 
easily kept in small paddocks or close stables, where their rather 
delicate natures can receive the attentio.n, kind treatment, and 
choice food usually bestowed upon them. 
For all these improved breeds, herd-books containing their gene¬ 
alogy, by way of pedigree, are kept in the United States, as well 
as in their native countries, and from them a full knowledge of their 
descent and blood is readily obtained by all who choose to inquire 
into their breeding. Prices might be quoted of the sale values of 
several of these breeds of cattle — some of them seemingly extrav¬ 
agant in amount — but such statistical reference is not demanded 
ill this limited discourse, rather leaving it to the tastes, judgments 
and fancies of those interested in their breeding. The introduc¬ 
tion of these improved breeds has added enormously to the value 
of the neat stock of our country, and their further dissemination is * 
yet to add untold millions to its productive agriculture. Slow as 
farmers, cattle-breeders, graziers and dairymen have proverbially 
been in the improvement of their herds, a rapid and more intelligent 
interest is every year manifested in their increase. 
In addition to the breeds of cattle already named may be a few 
others of foreign origin, introduced at different times by way of 
experiment or personal gratification; but as they have taken no 
strong hold on the attention of our stock-breeders, a further notice 
of them may be omitted, while in the grand specimens of the vari¬ 
ous breeds which have been mentioned we may assert, without con¬ 
tradiction, that no country in the universe contains better herds 
than the United States of America can now exhibit. 
The subject of our neat cattle can hardly be dismissed without 
an allusion to an important item of tiieir increasing value in fresh 
beef exportation^ which has recently been developed by the demand 
for fresh carcass meat from abroad, particularly in Great Britain. 
Refrigerators have been fitted up in Atlantic steamships, and, by 
the aid of ice, many tons of beef, in quarters of the carcass, have 
already been, and unlimited tons more may continue to be, trans¬ 
ported to Europe with entire safety, and in perfect freshness. The 
prices for which it has been sold in the London and Liverpool mar- 
